1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus and method for boring orifices in a ski which are adapted for use in positioning elements, such as ski bindings on the ski. More particularly, the invention relates to a template and a method for boring orifices in a monoski which are adapted for the positioning of two element assemblies, such as binding elements, on both sides of the median longitudinal axis of the monoski.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Materials
Presently, templates are used for boring holes in skis which permit the attachment of a single-element assembly, such as a front abutment, a heel binding, and a brake apparatus, on the ski. These templates currently in use bore holes in the ski which permit the attachment of this singleelement assembly so that the assembly is substantially aligned along the median longitudinal axis of the ski.
Such templates are described in French Utility Certificate No. 2,511,906, corresponding to French Patent No. 2,240,751 in the name of the Assignee of the present invention.
These templates generally comprise a base plate equipped with boring elements distributed in positions corresponding to the screw holes of the binding elements. Normally, the length of the base plate is adjustable so as to adapt the spacing between the front binding and the rear binding to the size of the boot. Furthermore, a cursor on the base plate permits the positioning of the template longitudinally with respect to the ski. Most often, this cursor is positioned to correspond to the position of a reference point located on the side of the ski.
Templates currently in use also comprise means for integrally attaching the template to the ski, which generally operates by transversely pinching the ski. This attaching means also permits the transverse centering of the template on the longitudinal and median axis of symmetry of the ski.
These templates are adapted to mount a binding element assembly on a traditional ski, i.e. a ski supporting one binding holding one ski boot. In order to ski using traditional skis one must place each boot in a binding on one of the skis. As a result, one uses two traditional skis for skiing.
In addition to traditional skis, another type of ski, a monoski has also been developed. A monoski has two bindings mounted thereon. As a result, a monoski is adapted to support two boots so that the skier need only use one monoski for skiing. More specifically, a monoski supports two binding element assemblies mounted on both sides of the longitudinal median axis of the monoski, in a generally symmetrical fashion. One boot is held in each binding element assembly on the monoski. Each binding assembly is thus offset with respect to the median longitudinal axis of the ski by a distance which can vary from one monoski to another, depending upon the configuration of the monoski and and desired spacing for the boots.
Existing templates are not adapted to mount binding elements on a monoski because they do not allow for positioning the binding elements off-center with respect to the longitudinal median axis of the ski. Furthermore, the attachment pincers of existing templates do not open sufficiently to pinch a monoski whose width is generally more than twice that of a traditional ski.
Nevertheless, it might be possible to model a monoski template on a template for a traditional ski, i.e., a base plate equipped with boring elements for the two element assemblies and a pincer adapted to open very wide to accommodate the entire width of the monoski.
Such a template, however, would be very cumbersome and would not allow for adjustment of the relative position of the two element assemblies, and particularly would not allow for adjusting the relative spacing and the angular orientation of the two element assemblies with respect to the axis of the monoski.
Thus, there is a need for a template for a monoski which is not cumbersome, and which can adjust the relative spacings and angular orientation of the element assemblies with respect to the longitudinal axis of the monoski.